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The response to the question below was authored by Marc Mitnick DPM

pain in upper calf and back of ankle

by Jeannie
(Florida)

I was jogging in place when after a couple of times, I heard a very loud pop. I felt immediate pain in the back of my calf that radiated down to the back of my ankle and top of my heel. It hurts if I walk on it and I can't put any pressure on it when walking. If I walk with my foot pointed out, it feels a little better. It almost feels like I have a charlie horse in my calf but there is pain, not too bad, at the back of my foot. I have put ice on it, but is this something I should be worried about or is it just some type of sprain?


RESPONSE
Hi Jeannie,
Hearing a loud pop is never a good sign. Based on your story it sounds like you may have partially tore your achilles tendon at the level of you calf where the leg muscles in the back of your leg come together to form the achilles tendon.
This would certainly send pain down to the heel.
Another possibility is that you tore your plantaris tendon which is a much smaller tendon that passes down the back of your leg.
If you had torn the tendon all the way through you probably would not be able to walk due to the pain. The fact that you only have a "charlie horse" type pain leads me to believe it may only be a partial tear. I am only guessing here because I do not have the luxury of being able to actually examine you.
It has now been two days since the injury and if you are still in a fair amount of pain, the smart money would be to see a doctor in your area and have the leg examined.
I know nothing about your history, your age, are you very active, does your job require you to stand or walk quite a bit, are you overweight? All these factors can have an adverse affect on your problem, meaning if there is a tear, it could worsen or at the very least take forever to heal.
If it turns out to be just a small tear you will probably need nothing more than some rest and immobilization; if it should tear further than you might require surgery to repair the tear.
That is why I think you should see a local doctor, specifically an orthopedist who is best trained to treat this type of problem.
I would not want to see this problem worsen.

Marc Mitnick DPM
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ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

Mayo Clinic

Johns Hopkins Medicine

MedlinePlus

Arthritis Foundation

University of Rochester Medical Center

Harvard Health

Drugs.com

American Academy of Pediatrics

Penn State Medical Center

National Institutes of Health

Columbia University Department of Rehabilitation

ScienceDirect

Stanford Health Care

Illinois Bone and Joint Institute

Mount Sinai Hospital

Institute for Chronic Pain

University of Florida Health

American Family Physician

Cedars-Sinai

University of Maryland Medical Center

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this site is purely informational in nature. It is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. This information is not a substitute for advice from a medical professional. Please consult your healthcare provider for accurate diagnosis and treatment. The information presented here may be subject to errors and omissions.




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(location unknown)
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(location unknown)
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(location unknown)
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(location unknown)
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UK

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Unknown location

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Unknown location

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New Zealand

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Arizona
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Florida
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Poland
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M P

South Carolina
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Natalie

unknown location


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Arlington, VA


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San Clemente, CA


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Pam

location unknown


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location unknown


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Bre

location unknown


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anonymous



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anonymous



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Poland



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Seattle, WA


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Bonnie

location unknown



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New Jersey



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Debbie

location unknown



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Chrissy

location unknown



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Evansville, IA



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Russ W.

location unknown



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location unknown



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San Diego, CA



Dr. Mitnick, Just want to say thank you so very much for your quick response and very informative reply! After reading what you had to say, I called the doctor's office and was able to get in and see him the same day as my injury. Toe was x-rayed and luckily, it is not broken or fractured. Very badly bruised and will probably lose the toe nail. And although my toe and toe nail are still very black and blue and very sore, they ARE both starting to feel a little better. So again, thank you! I am so very happy that I came across your website. The service you provide is outstanding and immeasurable!

Rivi,

Albany, NY



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Jill S.

location unknown



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Jackie

Whichita, KS



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mark

Boston, MA



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Colorado



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Colorado

Wonderful advice

by: Anonymous

This is the best site for foot problem info.

Thank you for this information. This description fits my pain and inflammation behind my 2nd toe perfectly.

by: Max

location unknown
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Canada
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location unknown
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Wisconsin
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Julie

location unknown
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North Carolina
Many Thanks Dr Marc!
Thank you for your response. It sounds like a good plan to me. He did not cut the wart out first ...

KG

location unknown

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Bessie Mae

Florida
Dear Dr. Mitnick, Thank you so very much for taking your time to answer my question. You have greatly relieved my anxiety related to the continual tingly I feel in my feet. I will share your response with my podiatrist next week. God bless you for having this question and answer page on your website! Most gratefully,

Lynne T.

location unknown
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Robert

New Jersey


Thank you. you were more detailed than what others have told me they finally called from the last xrays and my son is now in a cast for 2 weeks he did have a fracture that was not noticeable.

a mom

location unknown


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Lenoir, NC


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Bellevue, WA


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Jodi

location unknown

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